Piano-string bridge



QN() Model.)

No. 338,779. Pa ed Mar. 30, 1886.

j a l UNITED STATES JOHN IV. REED, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PIANO-STRING BRIDGE.

CPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,779, dated March 30, 1886. Application tiled January 31, 1885. Serial No. 154.507. (No modelJ T0 @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN V. REED, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Piano-String Bridges, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Myinvention relates to an improved bridge for pianos and other stringed instruments.

The object of the invention is to so construct such bridges as to improve the tone of the wires passed over them; and to the'accomplishment of that end the invention consists in the novel combination of parts, as will be described and claimed. i

Reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a plan in detail showing a section of the instrument; and Figs. 2, 3, sectional detail views of the bridges.

Like letters refer to like parts in each View.

Arepresents asection of the sou nding-board, B the strings, and C the wrest-plank- Upon the wrest-plank are mounted the tuning-pins I), the agraife E, and my improved bridge F. This bridge is formed of glass. I have, however, illustrated in the drawings two forms and arrangements which I think will be found advantageous.

In Fig. 2 the wrestplank C is represented as formed with a depression or socket, into which the bridge is inserted and held. The body of this bridge is formed of glass and provided upon its upper face with a transverse groove or depression, in which a metal bar, a, is placed, the wires when in position resting directly upon bars a.

In Fig. 3 I have represented the bridge as triangular in cross-section,with the wires resting upon its upper pointed surface.

In either of these constructions the bridge may be mounted in a suitable frame, G, mounted upon the wrest-plank. By either of the arrangements shown it will be seen that the points of contact between the wires and the bridge are as small as possible; and it will be understood that the tones produced will be greatly improved by having the strings rest at One'end upon such a bridge as described, and at the other end upon any suitable bridge.

I am aware that glass bridges have been used, and also that a metal bar embedded in a bridge has been used.

Vhat I claim is- The combination, with a bridge made of glass, ofa metal bar or wire embedded in the same, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN WV. REED.

Vitnesses:

M. J. CLAGETT, LoUIs NoLTING. 

